Ernesto Presas (May 20, 1945 – November 1, 2010¹) was a pivotal figure in revitalizing and spreading Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) globally.  Ernesto was born in the coastal village of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental Philippines on May 20, 1945.² Ernesto was the middle brother between Remy and Robert Presas.^{3 4} His father, Jose Presas, a well-known stick fighter of his generation, started training Ernesto at age 8.^{5 6 7 8}  Jose taught him arnis, the classic Filipino martial art, and the art became an important part of his life.⁹

In an interview Ernesto was asked how a boy growing up in a fishing village was motivated to become a martial arts master?  Ernesto said “I was exposed to a daily ritual in my village – my father and the other village masters were devoted to daily martial arts training and sparring.  They were very dedicated.  It was honorable and respected to become proficient in the arts.  I wanted this respect and recognition too, and like all boys, I wanted to be like my father – a master.”¹⁰

Ernesto also trained with his older brother Remy. Martial arts “is our cultural heritage – to be passed from father to son and brother to brother.  It is a strong bond between us.  The hours I spent watching my father train, and later the time we trained together created this common bond and love of the sport.  My brother Remy and I trained and sparred together as we grew up.  Our father taught us the classic styles and we taught each other by challenging and testing each other.  The desire to be the best I could be drove me to constantly work to improve my skills.”¹¹   He and his brother participated in local competitions and tournaments to demonstrate their family art and to test themselves against the best and to learn from them.¹² 

Ernesto achieved “the level of lakam sampu (tenth degree) in arnis, lakam sampu (tenth dan) in many y mano; hand to hand combat, and eighth dan in weaponry.  Ernesto Presas began to develop his own arnis style – a style that would become known as the ‘Presas style’.” ^{13 14} He also trained in other martial arts and learned to use many weapons – karate, judo, jiu-jitsu, kendo, Okinawan weaponry, bo jujutsu, tonfa, sai, chaku, balisong.^15
16

The 1970s became a pivotal year for Ernesto. In 1970, he began teaching FMA in the University of the Philippines and Lyceum of the Philippines.   Later, he also taught at the University of Santo Tomas, Central Colleges of the Philippines, the Far Eastern Military Academy, Philippine National Police Academy and the Philippines Air Force Officer’s School.  Ernesto was invited to the Expo 1970 in Japan to demonstrate Arnis.^{17 18}  “The presentation by Presas’ group was enthusiastically received by the Japanese spectators, many of whom were experienced martial artists in their own right, and were thus uncompromising in their view of the combative arts.”^{19 20}

After returning home from Japan and with the help of his friend Frederico Lazo, Ernesto opened his first club. Later he formed the Modern Arnis Association of the Philippines International and the ARJUKEN (which stands for Arnis, Jujutsu, Kendo) Karate Association to formally spread the art within the Philippines. In 1975 he founded the International Philippine Martial Arts Federation (IPMAF) and began to spread Filipino art to the outside world.^{21 22}

“In 1977, Presas was invited to teach at a seminar in California, and his international seminar circuit was officially launched.  He founded the International Philippine Martial Arts Federation shortly afterwards as a monitoring and promotional organization linking his followers the world over.”²³

Ernesto’s dedication was recognized by his peers. The National Arnis Association of Philippines and Arnis Philippine International approached Ernesto “to serve on their boards.  I was told they considered me to be an outstanding master in Philippine stickfighting, someone who would serve as an example of excellence.  It is an honor to be recognized as an outstanding member of the martial arts community and to be asked to help guide the preservation and promotion of our Philippine art.  I feel honored to be able to accept these positions.”²⁴

1. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas, Kombatan (1945 – 2010), FMA Pulse, June 22, 2013, https://fmapulse.com/fma-legends/grandmaster-ernesto-presas-1945-2010/ ↩︎
2. Filipino Martial Arts by Diego Ramon III, Close Quarter Combat Magazine,  January 2003. ↩︎
3. According to Family Search website for Ernesto Amador Presas, it lists other siblings: Jose Amador Jr (1932 – 1945); Lolita Amador (1939-2009); Luis Amador (1940-1958). ↩︎
4. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas, Kombatan (1945 – 2010), FMA Pulse, June 22, 2013. ↩︎
5. Filipino Martial Arts by Diego Ramon III, Close Quarter Combat Magazine,  January 2003. ↩︎
6. Interview with Great GrandMaster Ernesto A Presas, Kombatan Arnis Philippines Camp Hinigaran, Negros Presas Beach Resort, YouTube, May 2005 ↩︎
7. Filipino Kombatan’s Empty-Hand Skills by Jose G. Paman, Filipino Martial Arts Magazine, January 2001. ↩︎
8. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas, Kombatan (1945 – 2010), FMA Pulse, June 22, 2013, https://fmapulse.com/fma-legends/grandmaster-ernesto-presas-1945-2010/ ↩︎
9. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas: Teaching his Children Well, Interview conducted by J. Bruce Daniels,  Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, June 1991. ↩︎
10. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas: Teaching his Children Well, Interview conducted by J. Bruce Daniels,  Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, June 1991. ↩︎
11. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas: Teaching his Children Well, Interview conducted by J. Bruce Daniels,  Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, June 1991. ↩︎
12. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas: Teaching his Children Well, Interview conducted by J. Bruce Daniels,  Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, June 1991. ↩︎
13. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas: Teaching his Children Well, Interview conducted by J. Bruce Daniels,  Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, June 1991. ↩︎
14. Dumog Presas Style, by Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas, 2002, p. About the Author section. ↩︎
15. Filipino Kombatan’s Empty-Hand Skills, by Jose G. Paman, Filipino Martial Arts Magazine, January 2001. ↩︎
16. Dumog Presas Style, by Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas, 2002, p. About the Author section. ↩︎
17. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas, Kombatan (1945 – 2010), FMA Pulse, June 22, 2013. ↩︎
18. Dumog Presas Style, by Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas, 2002, p. About the Author section. ↩︎
19. The Art of the Flow, by Jose G. Paman, Martial Arts Combat & Sports Magazine, May 2000. ↩︎
20. Dumog Presas Style, by Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas, 2002, p. About the Author section. ↩︎
21. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas, Kombatan (1945 – 2010), FMA Pulse, June 22, 2013. ↩︎
22. Dumog Presas Style, by Grandmaster Ernesto Amador Presas, 2002, p. About the Author section. ↩︎
23. The Art of the Flow, by Jose G. Paman, Martial Arts Combat & Sports Magazine, May 2000. ↩︎
24. Grandmaster Ernesto Presas: Teaching his Children Well, Interview conducted by J. Bruce Daniels,  Inside Kung-Fu Magazine, June 1991. ↩︎

Revisions.

• December 7, 2025 – Added Ernesto’s years in first paragraph.